91 replies to this topic

[Anjian]

Phyrce, on 23 April 2019 - 09:24 AM, said:

Microsoft is not one company but several. They have own several game studios and developers that they publish for. You speak of corporate mission and objectives with literally no concept of the company structure.

I wouldn't be surprised if they are trying to get PGI to put MW5 on the new iteration of the xbox via their streaming service to fluff content. I can make up random statements with no basis in reality too.

Seriously? Microsoft has given up on Mechwarrior as a viable franchise since 2006, when Halo, then Gears of War, became the primary drivers of Xbox revenue growth. They have been sitting on the franchise license and doing nothing about it, and in doing so, has diminished the value of the franchise.

[VonBruinwald]

Anjian, on 23 April 2019 - 09:44 AM, said:

They have been sitting on the franchise license and doing nothing about it, and in doing so, has diminished the value of the franchise.

And they will continue to do so as long as people are prepared to license the rights from them. And if no one prepared to then they'll sit on it until someone offers them enough to buy it outright.

Of course, licensing is cheaper then buying so odds are they'll never let it go.

[Mawai]

TheArisen, on 16 April 2019 - 01:39 AM, said:

This right here. If they weren't confident of getting the license then they wouldn't be working on MW5.

MWO and MW5 were actually separate licensing agreements as far as I know. IGP had the rights to create an online Mechwarrior game only. PGI bought the rights from IGP when it went under. It is probably the online rights that need to be renewed unless the rights for MWO and MW5 were bundled together which I think would be unlikely given the effort they still seem to be putting resources in to MW5.

There was also a noticeable hiatus in MWO development before the last license renewal as PGI seemed to pull resources from MWO development since they didn't have the license arranged.

So, since no one knows , we will just have to wait and see.

[Marquis De Lafayette]

It’s kind of strange to have no news....one of would at least expect some vague assurance from PGI that a deal will of course be done. But, seems like it has been “crickets” so far. That said I can’t believe for a second PGI has doubts on its ability to renew. So, if something other than lack of communication from PGI (par for the course and most likely thing going on), it’s that PGI is in some sort of talks about getting bought. I could see Russ wanting to cash out after getting the MW5 payday and wouldn’t begrudge him that. Paradox controlling both HBS and PGI would likely give Battletech fans a secure pipeline of different kinds of games....of which the IP would be key to it all....it’s probably wishful thinking to see Paradox in the shadows here , but i am indulging myself with a “tinfoil hat” moment.

Plus it’s just less boring than thinking that PGI are just bad communicators

Edited by Marquis De Lafayette, 23 April 2019 - 11:15 AM.

[VonBruinwald]

Nevermind....

Edited by VonBruinwald, 23 April 2019 - 11:26 AM.

[Mystere]

Marquis De Lafayette, on 23 April 2019 - 11:13 AM, said:

It’s kind of strange to have no news....one of would at least expect some vague assurance from PGI that a deal will of course be done. But, seems like it has been “crickets” so far. That said I can’t believe for a second PGI has doubts on its ability to renew. So, if something other than lack of communication from PGI (par for the course and most likely thing going on), it’s that PGI is in some sort of talks about getting bought. I could see Russ wanting to cash out after getting the MW5 payday and wouldn’t begrudge him that. Paradox controlling both HBS and PGI would likely give Battletech fans a secure pipeline of different kinds of games....of which the IP would be key to it all....it’s probably wishful thinking to see Paradox in the shadows here , but i am indulging myself with a “tinfoil hat” moment.

Plus it’s just less boring than thinking that PGI are just bad communicators

The best course of action for PGI when they have nothing is to stay silent.

[TELEFORCE]

If I had enough money, I'd buy up all the BattleTech/MechWarrior licenses and IPs and just unify the brand. The franchise has needed it for awhile.

[Marquis De Lafayette]

Mystere, on 23 April 2019 - 03:40 PM, said:

The best course of action for PGI when they have nothing is to stay silent.

True for individuals, not so for Companies whose revenue depends on people having confidence enough to buy your product. Letting doubts about the future of a company fester or take root is a cancer no successful company willingly abides. (I guess we can argue about if PGI is successful or not...which might be interesting). The closer the deadline gets, without even vague assurances....the more nervous the playerbase will get. It needs to be addressed formally before MW5 launch, as it will hurt the launch if it isn’t. Even now, you don’t want MWO players possibility deferring real-$ New
Mech purchases because they start to get more worried.
Again, it’s probably just bad communication...in that it’s no communication. You should at least say that “we are talking with Microsoft and expect to reach a deal in the coming months” or something. The reason I mention a third party buyer for PGI is that a third party buyer looking at PGI is that it could increase the complication of the license thing with MS and would explain why they would want to remain silent things are signed by all parties. The more people at the table the longer things take.

[RickySpanish]

Marquis De Lafayette, on 24 April 2019 - 06:54 AM, said:

True for individuals, not so for Companies whose revenue depends on people having confidence enough to buy your product. Letting doubts about the future of a company fester or take root is a cancer no successful company willingly abides. (I guess we can argue about if PGI is successful or not...which might be interesting). The closer the deadline gets, without even vague assurances....the more nervous the playerbase will get. It needs to be addressed formally before MW5 launch, as it will hurt the launch if it isn’t. Even now, you don’t want MWO players possibility deferring real-$ New
Mech purchases because they start to get more worried.
Again, it’s probably just bad communication...in that it’s no communication. You should at least say that “we are talking with Microsoft and expect to reach a deal in the coming months” or something. The reason I mention a third party buyer for PGI is that a third party buyer looking at PGI is that it could increase the complication of the license thing with MS and would explain why they would want to remain silent things are signed by all parties. The more people at the table the longer things take.

They are not publically traded though are they? They have no stockholders to appease, in which case actually, it's prudent from a legal perspective to keep such things between the lawyers and nobody else.

[Mystere]

Marquis De Lafayette, on 24 April 2019 - 06:54 AM, said:

You should at least say that “we are talking with Microsoft and expect to reach a deal in the coming months” or something ...

Unless of course it is already a fact that there will be no deal.

[Marquis De Lafayette]

RickySpanish, on 24 April 2019 - 06:59 AM, said:

They are not publically traded though are they? They have no stockholders to appease, in which case actually, it's prudent from a legal perspective to keep such things between the lawyers and nobody else.

Everyone knows they are a relatively small private company. So, has nothing to do with shareholders...just customers. It’s just good businsss to not have your customers start to worry about if you are going to be able to support (after the end of the year) the products you are selling them. Silence only causes worry to grow. I doubt they have been told there won’t be any kind of deal by MS...so I doubt you are in any legal jeopardy to say you are working terms of renewal and expect to reach a deal in a few months....again, something vague that covers yourself if it doesn’t happen. If folks start to worry that the silence is to protect themselves from a non-renewal scenario (where they know already today that MS isn’t renewing the IP with them) well then PGI would likely be finished as a company post MW5 launch and that is an impression that you wouldn’t want to let people like us to start to speculate about in April, well before launch . Worries like that if they take hold will hurt the launch $-wise big time. I guess it’s possible (non-renewal).... just seems the least likely outcome by a good measure.

[Marquis De Lafayette]

Mystere, on 24 April 2019 - 07:44 AM, said:

Unless of course it is already a fact that there will be no deal.

As crazy (and unlikely) as that would be, you aren’t wrong. Which is why PGI should communicate with customers (assuming renewal is still being worked on).